creep

1 of 2

verb

ˈkrēp 

crept ˈkrept  ; creeping

intransitive verb

1

a

: to move along with the body prone and close to the ground

A spider was creeping along the bathroom floor.

b

: to move slowly on hands and knees

He crept toward the edge of the cliff.

2

a

: to go very slowly

The hours crept by.

b

: to go timidly or cautiously so as to escape notice

She crept away from the festive scene.

c

: to enter or advance gradually so as to be almost unnoticed

Age creeps up on us.

A note of irritation crept into her voice.

3

: to have the sensation of being covered with creeping things

The thought made his flesh creep.

4

of a plant : to spread or grow over a surface rooting at intervals or clinging with tendrils, stems, or aerial roots

5

a

: to slip or gradually shift position

The high temperatures of the jet engine cause the turbine blade to creep.

b

: to change shape permanently from prolonged stress or exposure to high temperatures

creep

2 of 2

noun

1

: a movement of or like creeping

traffic moving at a creep

2

: a distressing sensation like that caused by the creeping of insects over one's flesh

especially : a feeling of apprehension or horror

—usually used in plural with the

That gives me the creeps.

3

: a feed trough accessible only by young animals and used especially to supply special or supplementary feed

called also creep feeder

4

: the slow change of dimensions of an object from prolonged exposure to high temperature or stress

5

: an unpleasant or obnoxious person

6

: a slow but persistent increase or elevation

This political inertia … makes budget creep inevitable.

—The Wall Street Journal

Synonyms

Verb

• encroach
• inch
• worm

Noun

• bastard
• beast
• bleeder [British]
• blighter [chiefly British]
• boor
• bounder
• bugger
• buzzard
• cad
• chuff
• churl
• clown
• cretin
• crud [slang]
• crumb [slang]
• cur
• dirtbag [slang]
• dog
• fink
• heel
• hound
• jerk
• joker
• louse
• lout
• pill
• rat
• rat fink
• reptile
• rotter
• schmuck [slang]
• scum
• scumbag [slang]
• scuzzball [slang]
• skunk
• sleaze
• sleazebag [slang]
• sleazeball [slang]
• slime
• slimeball [slang]
• slob
• snake
• so-and-so
• sod [chiefly British]
• stinkard
• stinker
• swine
• toad
• varmint
• vermin

Examples of creep in a Sentence

Verb

She crept toward the edge of the roof and looked over.

I caught him creeping down the stairs to the kitchen.

She crept into bed next to her sleeping husband.

The hours crept by as we waited for morning.

a train creeping through the town

The price of gasoline has crept back up to three dollars a gallon.

A few mistakes crept in during the last revision of the paper.

new words creeping into the language

Noun

I get the creeps every time he walks by.

I hate snakes. They give me the creeps.

That guy gives me the creeps.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

That is still low by historical standards, although the rate has crept up from 3.7% at the start of the year. —Don Lee, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024

That may allow patchwork-style legislation to creep into the AI sector. —Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 6 Dec. 2024

Noun

The risks of dying creep up well before extreme heat and humidity levels. —Alejandra Borunda, NPR, 6 Dec. 2024

But when his uninvited relatives show up and start adding eyeballs to the mashed potatoes and maggots to the pumpkin pie, there are suddenly too many creeps in the kitchen. —Jennifer Hubert Swan, New York Times, 25 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English crepen, from Old English crēopan; akin to Old Norse krjūpa to creep

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1818, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing creep

• bracket creep
• creep out
• creep up on
• make someone's flesh crawl/creep
• make someone's skin crawl/creep
• make someone's skin/flesh creep
• mission creep

Kids Definition

creep

1 of 2 verb

ˈkrēp 

crept ˈkrept  ; creeping

1

: to move along with the body close to the ground : move slowly on hands and knees

2

: to advance slowly, timidly, or quietly

the tide crept up the beach

3

: to spread or grow over the ground or a surface

a creeping vine

4

: to slip or gradually shift position

5

: to feel as though insects were crawling on the body

the shriek made my flesh creep

creep

2 of 2 noun

1

: a creeping movement

2

a

: a sensation like that of insects creeping over one's flesh

b

: a feeling of horror

—usually used in plural with the

the story gave me the creeps

3

: an unpleasant or hateful person